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Luna Rossa has successfully challenged the legality of a new sail system that the INEOS UK team used to regain some wind in their America’s Cup campaign.
The British altered predictions on the opening day of the Prada Cup challenger series by comfortably defeating American Magic and Luna Rossa in Auckland on Friday.
Sir Ben Ainslie’s ship Britannia underwent a major overhaul after the disastrous World Series regatta with modifications including a new mast, new sails, rudder and rudder lift.
RICKY WILSON
The INEOS Team UK modifications included a new cape system to help shape the lower section of its soft wing.
Italians Luna Rossa filed a non-compliance claim against the British on Friday night, unhappy with the outhaul system on the INEOS Team UK mainsail. They won the protest and the British have been fined $ 5000 and the system banned.
READ MORE:
* America’s Cup: Luna Rossa pushes the rules to protect her strength
* America’s Cup – Team INEOS UK stuns rivals with two Prada Cup victories
* America’s Cup: the British reveal a major reform but still wonder: is it enough?
The fine was donated to the Sir Peter Blake Foundation.
The outhaul system helps shape the underside of the solid double wall soft wing.
The Italians believed that by passing a rope through the sail, the British had broken the rules and were shown to be right.
Surprisingly, Ainslie’s boat Britannia passed the measurement committee’s inspection ahead of Friday’s race.
In light of the claim of non-compliance, a decision on the legality of the candle had to be made before Saturday.
Fundamentally for Ainslie, Friday’s results would hold as the outhaul system had passed the pre-race measurement process last Wednesday. But INEOS Team UK will have to find a new system.
Earlier on Saturday, seasoned UK INEOS team owner David “Freddie” Carr said he was not surprised by the questioning of the system.
“It’s the America’s Cup, (I’m not) really surprised by everything, it’s part of this special event,” he told Stuff.
“We are lucky to have a really good legal team, a rules team, and they take care of everything. It doesn’t involve the sailors at all, it’s an integral part of this game.
“It was approved under measurement, I don’t know the details of where it is this morning, but I know it has not affected our points overnight, so we are ignoring it and we are going again today.”
When asked if the system had made a difference in his two dominant wins on Friday, Carr didn’t hesitate: “Yes, 100 percent. It is no secret that we have changed the mast and mainsail since the Christmas regatta ”.
Luna Rossa has been aggressive in the rules department in preparation for the Prada Cup.
They lost a judgment against the use of backstays on their mast, and were ordered to use them in this official regatta after sailing without them during the world series regatta.
RICKY WILSON
Luna Rossa lost the start to INEOS Team UK and never recovered in her first match of the Prada Cup challenger series.
They also attempted to stifle American Magic’s use of a smaller high-wind mainsail, refuted after a commitment was made to accommodate the Prada Cup sponsorship tag on the top of the sail.
Luna Rossa also refuses to join the other three teams involved in the Auckland races, including defender Emirates Team New Zealand, for removing the 100kg of ballast that the teams carry on the boat as a replacement for the absence of invited riders. that have been discarded. due to security concerns.
The Luna Rossa is happy to run with the extra weight, believing that it is ahead of its rivals in achieving efficient frustration in light paces despite that handicap.
PRADA ROUND-ROBIN CUP – SATURDAY SCHEDULE
3.15pm: Luna Rossa v American Magic
4.15pm: INEOS Team UK v American Magic
POINTS: INEOS Team UK 2, American Magic 0, Luna Rossa 0
